TEL AVIV (Press Release) –In a briefing on the immediate and growing impact of the crisis in Israel on the children and families of the Israel Tennis Centers in southern Israel, the region hardest hit by the rockets that continue to rain down, officials said on Friday, July 11, that all 14 tennis centers are equipped with the adequate number of bomb shelters to accommodate the staff and children during this crisis. A total of 46 bomb shelters were installed over the past year.
With Hamas firing over 400 rockets into Israel in the preceding three days alone, officials stated that summer camps at the ITC Beer Sheva, Ofakim and Ashkelon have been closed. As the violence continues to escalate, the need to move our children out of harm’s way grows stronger with each passing day.
“To minimize the serious short-term and long-term implications and to protect our children, on Sunday, the Israel Tennis Centers is launching an emergency campaign, Operation Safe Haven, to evacuate over 200 children from our three southern tennis centers to our northern centers,” Jacqueline Goldstein, ITC vice president for development, announced. “During these difficult times, we see evidence of the profound impact and reach of the ITC as evidenced by our families in Haifa, Yokneam, Tiberias, Akko and Kiryat Shmonah who have offered to open up their homes to children whom they don’t even know for as long as necessary.
“The children will participate in summer camp with their friends in the northern centers, and will be entertained and distracted with special events and social activities to keep their minds from the danger surrounding their homes in the south. This extraordinary initiative is necessary to secure the safety of our children and to provide them with respite from the barrage of missiles.
More information, including on how to make a donation, may be accessed at www.israeltenniscenters.org
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Preceding provided by Israel Tennis Centers